Multiple purpose spotting gun



y 1963 H. A. SCHRABER ETAL 3,091,403

MULTIPLE PURPOSE SPOTTING GUN Filed May 20, 1957 WMMV W United States Patent 3,091,403 MULTIPLE PURPOSE SPOTTING GUN Henry A. Schraber, 226 E. 6th St., and Roger 0. Barrows, 4118 Lombard St., both of Duluth, Minn. Filed May 20, 1957, Ser. No. 660,148 3 Claims. (Cl. 239413) This invention relates to a spotting gun, and more particularly to a novel spotting gun structure such as is utilized by drycleaners.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a simple spotting gun which will operate efliciently to treat fabric with steam, air, chemical spray, and drying vacuum as may be desired for proper treatment thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a manually controllable spotting gun for steaming local areas of fabric in a manner ranging from gently bathing such areas to forcibly scrubbing them with steam.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel chamber and valve construction in a spotting gun which will effect several desirable cleaning functions upon fabrics to be cleaned.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an air-steam spotting gun with a fluid outlet nozzle which will produce a useful vacuum at the opposite end of the nozzle portion.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for directly spraying cleaning fluid in controlled quantities through an air-steam spotting gun.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description, made in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the spotting gun, the steam and air lines being broken away in part;

FIGURE 2 is a top elevation of the gun, portions being broken away and others illustrated in dotted line configuration;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical section of the gun head and fluid container taken on the line 33 of FIG- URE 2; I

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged section of the manual valve members in normal position and taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged bottom View of the gun head;

FIGURE 6 is a view showing the vacuum nozzle attachment for replacing the fluid container shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 7 shows a sealing plug also adapted to replace the fluid container of FIGURE 3.

With continued reference to the drawing, our drycleaners spotting gun comprises the main elements of an elongated gun head 10, an adapter 11, a hand grip 12, fluid inlet tubes 13, and valve control means 14. My invention presupposes a source of air pressure through tubular means and a source of steam through the tubular member 16, as shown in FIGURE 1. Footoperated valve mechanism 17 may be interposed in the steam line 16 as is common practice in the art. It is convenient to pass the steam and air lines :15 and 16 through the handle or hand grip 12, the latter having a heat-insulated outer layer 18 to prevent the steam from burning the hands. The air and steam lines pass through the valve mechanism 14 and emerge therefrom in the pressurized fluid inlet 19 and the steam inlet 20, details of the interconnecting valved passageways being described later in this specification. The tubes or conduits comprising the inlet members 19 and 20 may provide the interconnecting structure which connects the hand grip 12 ICE to the elongated gun head 19 so that a convenient working angle is established between the members,

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the gun head is provided with an elongated high velocity nozzle 21 which terminates downwardly in a nozzle orifice 22, as shown. Orifice 22 may be somewhat flattened as shown in the enlarged view of FIGURE 5. Nozzle 21 may be narrowed at 23 so as to create a venturi-eifect in use as will be subsequently described.

Contained within the elongated high velocity nozzle 21 is a slender evacuating tube '24 which terminates in a lower orifice 25, the latter being directed toward the orifice 22 of the high velocity nozzle 21 and adjacent the narrowed area 23 so as to exert a high degree of evacuating force at the nozzle 25 of the evacuating tube 24. The upper end of the evacuating tube terminates in a suction opening 26 which may be upwardly divergent to provide a guiding surface and, further, to close off the upper end of the high velocity nozzle 21 to avoid escape of pressurized fluid from nozzle :21 except through the proper nozzle orifice 22.

A pressurized fluid inlet such as the conduit 19 previously mentioned supplies pressurized air or steam to the high velocity nozzle 21 for forcible ejection from the nozzle orifice 22 and for creating the aforementioned jet or venturi-evacuating effect upon tube 24.

An adapter means such as the bayonet-socket 11 is formed in air-tight connection with the suction opening 26, as shown in FIGURE 3. The adapter means may have the bayonet slot members 27, as shown in FIG- URE 1, for the purpose of cooperating with cap members such as screw caps 28 having internal fitted connections 29 with a resilient plastic container 39, as shown in FIG- URE 3, and may further be provided with pins 31 for cooperatively engaging the bayonet slots 27 to form a tight seal between the cap '28 and the adapter 11. The resilient container 30 may be provided with a small valve 32 which normally closes off a narrow stemmed opening 33 formed outwardly from the cover 28, as shown in FIGURE 3. Valve 32 may be pivotally mounted to the inside of cap 28 at 34 and, further, may be actuated by the elongated valve handle 35 which lies in contact with the inner wall surface 36 of resilient container 30. It will be obvious that small amounts of fluid such as drycleaning chemical can be momentarily fed to the evacuating tube 24 by slight pressure upon the sides of the resilient container 3%. Valve 32 will be temporarily opened and small amounts of fluid permitted to enter the suction opening 26 and be pulled to the evacuating tube orifice 25 and into the high velocity fluid stream which emanates from the orifice 22 of nozzle 21.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, when it is desired to utilize the suction opening 26 for evacuating vapors and the like from previously treated spots on fabrics, the suction stem or pipe 37 is employed. Suction stem 37 terminates in a flattened end providing orifice 38 which may be similar to the orifice 22 at the lower end of the high velocity nozzle 21 previously described. The end opposite the orifice 38 is provided with the same type of cap 39 having pins 40 for snugly interfitting and sealing within the adapter 11 as in the case of cap 28 utilized with resilient container 30. An important feature of the invention is the provision of a vacuum stem 37 having approximately the same length from the lateral connection with hand grip 12 as the length of the high velocity nozzle 21. Thus, when the stem pipe 37 is substituted for the resilient container 30, the two functioning orifices 22 and 38 may be rapidly alternated in close clearance with fabric with the hand grip 12 maintained in approximately the same position in either case, the grip merely being turned through degrees to effect the interchange.

A still further use of the adapter 11 is with the plug member 41 shown in FIGURE 7. Plug 41 again utilizes the same cap formation as at 42 and has similar pins 43 adapted to interlock with bayonet slots 27, previously described, -as a portion of the adapter .11. When cap 41 is secured to adapter 11, an evacuating force is applied to the evacuating tube 24, but no fluid passes therethrough in response to the evacuating force since plug 41 will prevent it.

Another important provision of the invention is the concentric tubular member 44 which provides a chamber 45 surrounding the high velocity nozzle 21, as shown in FIGURE 3. The concentric tube 44 terminates downwardly in an outwardly flared annular opening 46, as shown. We have found that approximately a 30 degree outward pitch is useful for our purpose. The flared annular opening 46 may be positioned in receded relation with respect to the orifice 22 so as to give wider dispersion of the steam which is intended to be gently forced through the flared annular opening 46. Steam inlet 20, of course, supplies the steam to chamber 45 at a position remote from the flared annular opening 46. It will be observed that steam in the chamber 45 in passing outwardly from the flared annular opening 46 has no effect upon the evacuating tube 24 and is entirely independent therefrom. The concentric tube 44, however, does cooperate with the high velocity nozzle 21, being usable in conjunction therewith or alternately as desired.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, the air and steam supply lines and 16, respectively, continue through the hand grip 12 and into the valve block 14 where they connect with the pressurized fluid inlet 19 and the steam inlet 20. Steam supply line 15 connects directly with steam inlet and is controlled by valve 47, as shown in FIG- URE 4. Valve 47 has a thumb lever or actuator 48 which unseats the valve head 49 against spring 50in turn held in place by nut 51 threadably secured in the valve block 14. The steam supply line 16' also branches off in an interconnecting passageway 52, as shown in FIGURE 2. This interconnecting passageway 52 communicates with the pressurized fluid inlet 19 and is provided with a valve 53 normally open and permitting steam to pass across into the inlet 19. Valve 53 is controlled by the thumb lever 54 and is actuable against the spring 55 to close off the passageway 52 with the valve head 54 when so depressed.

The valve block 14 finally is provided with a direct connection between the air supply 15 and the pressurized fluid inlet '19 but is controlled by the valve 56 which, in turn, is operated by the thumb lever 57 which depresses the valve head 58 against spring 59 to open the air connection with the pressurized fluid inlet 19. Spring 59, as in the other cases, may be held in position by nut 51 threadably secured in valve block 14. Valve 56 is normally biased to closed position, as shown in FIGURE 4. It will be observed that all of the thumb levers 48, 54 and 57' are in juxtaposed position and capable of being depressed individually or simultaneously by the thumb of a users hand.

When it is desired to use my spotting gun on a piece of fabric 60, the latter is placed upon a supporting surface 61 and the gun head 10 is brought in close overlying relation therewith. Foot valve 17 is, of course, ordinarily placed upon a floor surface 62 adjacent the fabric supporting surface 61 so that the supply of steam fed to the gun may be controlled easily by foot. Where it is desired to treat the fabric with a cleaning fluid, the flexible container is placed in the adapter 11 and the stemmed opening 33 is inserted int-o the evacuating tube 24, as shown in FIGURE 3. Bayonet pins 31 are then secured in the bayonet grooves 27 so as to seal the suction mouth 26 with respect to the cap 28. It the fabric 60' cannot withstand temperatures such as that created by steam,

or if the spot or stain to be removed does not properly respond to heat, then the thumb lever 57 may be depressed to provide pressurized cool air through the inlet 19 and into the high velocity nozzle 21 and the resilient coutainer 31 is squeezed so as to permit a small quantity of the drycleaning fluid to become intermixed with the high velocity air emanating from the nozzle orifice 22. If it is desired to use high pressure steam only, then the foot pedal 17 is depressed so as to admit steam through the normally open valve 53- and through the inlet 19. The previously described jet action again will apply evacuating force to the tube 24 and the container 30 may be caused to feed drycleaning fluid to the stream as described.

When it is desired to gently massage delicate fabrics or to warm chemicals previously applied, a steam bath can be provided through the flared annular opening 46 by pressing foot valve 17 and simultaneously depressing the thumb lever 48. Steam will then, of course, issue both from the flared annular opening 46 and the nozzle orifice 22. If a still gentler action is desired, then, with the foot valve 17 still depressed, both of the thumb valves 54 and 48 are simultaneously depressed, valve 53 thus being closed and valve 47 opened. Now steam will emanate only from the flared annular opening 46. The gentle stream of steam thus emanating serves tofeather out the outer margins of wetted areas. For drying treated spots, the vacuum pipe 37 may be secured to the adapter 11 in place of the container 30 as previously described. Foot valve 17 then remains closed and. the thumb valve 57 is depressed to provide a sharp blast of air through the high velocity nozzle 21 for impinging upon the treated spots. Since evacuating tube 24 communicates with the pipe 37, a strong sucking action is imparted to the orifice 38. This may be utilized by inverting the gun head and maintaining the thumb lever 57 depressed. Air forced from the high velocity nozzle 21 will, of course, exert an evacuating influence over the spot and fabric 60 and vapors will be pulled into the pipe 37 and expelled from nozzle 52.

When no vacuum effect at all is desired, then of course the plug 41 may be secured to adapter 11 as previously described.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A drycleaners spotting gun comprising a gun head having an elongated high velocity nozzle terminating in one end in an orifice, an evacuating tube within said gun head terminating at one end within the high velocity nozzle and directed toward the orifice thereof and terminating at its other end outwardly of the gunhead in a suction opening, a pressurized fluid inlet line communicating with the nozzle at a position remote from the orifice, a concentric tubular chamber surrounding the elongated high velocity nozzle and terminating adjacent the orifice thereof in an outwardly flared annular opening, an inlet line communicating with the concentric tubular chamber for supplying steam thereto, and valve means in each of the inlet lines controlling the flow of pressurized fluid and steam to the gun head.

2. A drycleaners spotting gun comprising a gun head having an elongated high velocity nozzle terminating at one end in an orifice, an evacuating tube within said gun head terminating at one end Within the high velocity nozzle and directed toward the orifice thereof and terminating at its other end in a suction opening, and a pressurized fluid inlet communicating with the nozzle in said gun head for supplying fluid at high velocity thereto at a position remote from the orifice, a concentric tubular chamber surrounding the elongated high velocity nozzle and terminating adjacent the orifice thereof in an outwardly flared annular opening, an inlet communicating with the concentric tubular chamber for supplying steam thereto, a valve block communicating with said pressurized fluid inlet and with said steam inlet, and juxtaposed valve means controlling respectively the flow of pressurized fluid and of steam through the valve block, said valve means being adapted to be operated independently and jointly.

3. A drycleaners spotting gun comprising a gun head having an elongated high velocity nozzle terminating at one end in an orifice, an evacuating tube within said gun head terminating at one end within the high velocity nozzle and directed toward the orifice thereof and terminating at its other end in a suction opening, a pressurized fluid inlet line communicating With the gun head for supplying fluid at high velocity to the nozzle at a position remote from the orifice, a concentric tubular chamber surrounding the elongated high velocity nozzle and terminating adjacent the orifice thereof in an outwardly flared annular opening, an inlet line communicating with the concentric tubular chamber for supplying steam thereto, a hand grip secured to said elongated gun head in lateral relation thereto and at a position adjacent the upper end of said nozzle, a valve block disposed between said hand grip and the elongated gun head, said valve block communicating with the pressurized fluid inlet line and the steam inlet line and further having an interconnecting passageway leading from said steam inlet line to said pressurized fluid inlet line, a normally closed valve member in the valve block and interposed in the steam inlet, a normally open valve member in the valve block interposed in the interconnecting passageway, and a normally closed valve member in the valve block interposed in the pressurized fluid inlet line whereby air and steam may be alternately and simultaneously admitted to said high velocity nozzle and steam may be admitted into said concentric tubular chamber, the chamber opening providing a gentle steaming action and the high velocity nozzle orifice providing a more severe scrubbing action when applied to soiled fabrics.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,510,639 Wills Oct. 7, 1924 2,598,787 Haak June 3, 1952 2,616,761 Miller Nov. 4, 1952 2,619,821 Fink Dec. 2, 1952 2,769,670 Dunn Nov. 6, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 543,476 Great Britain Feb. 26, 1942 

1. A DRYCLEANER''S SPOTTING GUN COMPRISING A GUN HEAD HAVING AN ELONGATED HIGH VELOCITY NOZZLE TERMINATING IN ONE END IN AN ORIFICE, AN EVACUATING TUBE WITHIN SAID GUN HEAD TERMINATING AT ONE END WITHIN THE HIGH VELOCITY NOZZLE AND DIRCTED TOWARD THE ORIFICE THEREOF AND TERMINATING AT ITS OTHER END OUTWARDLY OF THE GUNHEAD IN A SUCTION OPENING, A PRESSURIZED FLUID INLET LINE COMMUNICATING WITH THE NOZZLE AT A POSITION REMOTE FROM THE ORIFICE, A CONCENTRIC TUBULAR CHAMBER SURROUNDING THE ELONGATED HIGH VELOCITY NOZZLE AND TERMINATING ADJACENT THE ORIFICE THEREOF IN AN OUTWARDLY FLARED ANNULAR OPENING, AN INLET LINE COMMUNICATING WITH THE CONCENTRIC TUBULAR CHAMBER FOR SUPPLYING STEAM THERETO, AND VALVE MEANS IN EACH OF THE INLET LINES CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF PRESSURIZED FLUID AND STEAM TO THE GUN HEAD. 